 |
Site in French
|
|
Historical
On the date of the
outbreak of the German attack of May 10, 1940, the GAO III / 551
is attached to the Third Army in the Air Cooperation Forces of the
ZOAE (East Air Operations Zone).
Staff
|
Commanders
of the group
GAO III/551
|
| Commander
PALDACCI |
|
|
|
|
Captain
BOURSAUS Georges
|
|
Juny
5, 1940
|
|
| Commander
MARIAGE Pierre |
Juny
6, 1940
|
|
|
|
Other
Members of the Military Staff
|
| Captain
PETITPREZ |
Meteorological
Officer
|
|
|
| Aspirant
RAY |
Doctor
|
|
|
Personnel
|
Pilots
and crew of the Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
Civil-statut
|
Photos
|
Citations
|
| BALLET
Jacques - Maurice |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Jacques BALLET was called
up to the air force in 1928 and posted to the 34th aviation
regiment. Awarded an aircraft observer's certificate in 1929,
he was transferred to the reserves and served several tours
of duty between 1930 and 1939.
Mobilised in 1939, he was posted to GAO III/551 on 3 September
1939 and took part in the French campaign before moving to
AFN, still with GAO III/151. On his return to France, he joined
the Resistance. He managed to escape from France via Spain
in December 1942, but was taken prisoner in Spain. Arriving
in Great Britain in May 1943, he joined the FAFL and was posted
to the Directorate of Military Intelligence and Security in
London in
1943. He attended British schools before joining the Lorraine
group as a navigator-bomber in 1944. He took part in the French
and German campaigns. Jacques BALLET was demobilised in 1946
and transferred to the reserves.
|
Born in Neufchâteau
(88 - Vosges) on 19 February 1908
Died at Neuilly sur Seine (92 - Hauts de Seine) on 5 November
2000
|
|
|
| BARLIER |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BERLAND
Robert |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on June 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.384 shot down by 6 Me109. |
|
|
|
| BOURSAUS
Georges |
Captain
|
Pilot
et Commander of Group
|
Wounded
on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.365 shot down by 7 Me109. |
|
|
|
| BRAGADIR |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
On
May 15, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.389 was shot down
by 7 Me109. Lieutenant BRAGADIR, unscathed, managed to put his
aircraft in the open countryside. |
|
|
|
| BRAGEOT |
Adjutant
|
|
|
|
|
|
| BURCELIN |
Master-Corporal
|
Machine-Gunner
|
On
May 15, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.389 was shot down
by 7 Me109. The Pilot manages to put his aircraft in the open
countryside. Master Corporal BURCELIN is unharmed. |
|
|
|
| COURMES |
Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
|
|
|
|
| DEBLADIS
Roger |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Seriously
wounded on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.365 shot down
by 7 Me109. |
|
|
|
| DE-GINESTET
Emeric |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Killed
on June 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.384 shot down by 6 Me109. |
|
|
|
| DUBIN |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
|
|
| GIGOT
DE VILLEFAIGNE Guy |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Guy GIGOT DE VILLEFAIGNE
was called up in 1930. He was posted to the 34th observation
wing in 1935, to the Dugny base in 1936 and finally to the
Avord base in 1937. He joined GAO III/551 as an observer from
September 1939 to June 1940.
After the Armistice, he joined the Resistance. He managed
to escape from France on 12 April 1943, but was held prisoner
in the Miranda camp (Spain). On arrival in Great Britain,
he joined the FAFL on 24 September 1943 and joined the Lorraine
group. He was then assigned to the Plans Office of the Allied
Liaison Service before being discharged on 22 January 1946.
|
Born
on 15 November 1910 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (92 - Hauts de Seine)
|
|
|
| GIRARD
Louis |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
on June 13, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.384 shot down by 6 Me109. |
|
|
|
| GOUSSAULT |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Artillery
Lieutenant detached to the GAO III/551 |
|
|
|
| JOST
Raymond |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Killed
on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.796 shot down by 5 Me109. |
|
|
|
| KREMPF |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LECLERC |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
Cavalry
Lieutenant detached to the GAO III/551 |
|
|
|
| LHOSTE
Bernard |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Wounded
on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.365 shot down by 7 Me109. |
|
|
|
| LIEB
Georges |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
On
May 15, 1940, his aircraft, Potez 63-11 No.389 was shot down
by 7 Me109. The Pilot manages to put his aircraft in the open
countryside. Lieutenant LIEB is seriously injured. |
|
|
|
| MARIAGE
Pierre - Paul |
Commander
|
Commander
of Group
|
Pierre
Mariage voluntarily enlisted in the artillery in August 1914.
He was qualified as an aircraft observer in February 1917 and
was seconded to the air force in March.
Demobilised in 1919, he was transferred to the reserves. He
was recalled to active service in 1939 and was first posted
to GAO 545 in August 1939, then to the 1/36 reconnaissance group
of the 11th land army. He took part in the French campaign and
became commander of GAO III/551 in May 1940.
Demobilised in August 1940, he joined the Free French Forces
in 1942. Pierre Mariage served periods in the reserves after
the war and left the reserve army with the rank of Colonel. |
Born
30 November 1896, Paris (75)
Died in Neuilly-sur-Seine (92 - Hauts de Seine) on 2 November
1979 |
|
|
| MARZLOFF |
Captain
|
Observer
|
Cavalry
Captain detached to the GAO III/551 |
|
|
|
| MORILLON |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| NEUVILLE
Pierre |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.796 shot down by 5 Me109. |
|
|
|
| PALDACCI |
Commandant
|
Commander
of Group
|
|
|
|
|
| QUILICO
Adrien |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
Killed
on June 5, 1940 aboard Potez 63-11 No.796 shot down by 5 Me109. |
|
|
|
| RONOT |
Captain
|
Observer
|
|
|
|
|
| ROSSIGNOL |
Adjutant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
|
|
|
| ROSSIGNOL
Jean |
Captain
|
Observer
|
Killed
on September 11, 1939 aboard the Mureaux 117 No.70 shot by the
Flak in Germany. |
|
|
|
| SIMARD |
Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SUEUR
Jean |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Killed
on September 11, 1939 aboard the Mureaux 117 No.70 shot by the
Flak in Germany. |
|
|
|
| THERON |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Group
Mechanics
|
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Sqn.
|
Informations
|
Photo
|
| FONTENELLE |
Chief
Warrant-Officer
|
Mechanic
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Stories
of crews
|
Crews
of Group
|
|
Names
of crew members
|
Rank
|
Function
|
Informations
|
|
Crew
|
SUEUR
Jean |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Mureaux
117 n° 70 : shot down by the Flak in Germany on
September 11, 1939, his crew is killed |
| ROSSIGNOL
Jean |
Captain
|
Observer
|
|
Crew
|
BRAGADIR |
Lieutenant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 389 : Destroyed in air combat on May 15,
1940. Lieutenant LIEB is seriously injured. |
| LIEB |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| BURCELIN |
Master-Corporal
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
COURMES |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 365 : On 20 May 1940, Staff Sergeant COURMES
attacked a Junker JU52 during a mission. He strafed the enemy
aircraft from the rear and plunged under it to disengage, but
was hit by the train of the Junker JU52 which plunged at the
same time. The German plane crashed to the ground, but Staff
Sergeant COURMES managed to bring his plane back and land it
on its Airfield, despite the "amputaion" of part of
its left wing. The Potez 365 was repaired but was finally shot
down on 5 June 1940 (see below). |
| BALLET
Jacques |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| ROSSIGNOL |
Adjutant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
BOURSAUS |
Captain
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 365 : Shot down by German Fighters on June
5, 1940. The crew is wounded, Lieutenant DEBLADIS more seriously. |
| DEBLADIS |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| LHOSTE |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
NEUVILLE
Pierre |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 796 : Shot down by German Fighters on June
5, 1940. The crew is killed. |
| JOST
Raymond |
Sub-Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| QUILICO
Adrien |
Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Crew
|
BERLAND
Robert |
Chief
Warrant Officer
|
Pilot
|
Potez
63-11 n° 384 : Shot down by German fighters on June
13, 1940. The crew is killed. |
| DE-GINESTET
Emeric |
Lieutenant
|
Observer
|
| GIRARD
Louis |
Staff-Sergeant
|
Machine-Gunner
|
|
Airfields
|
Period
of use of airfields
|
|
Names
|
County
|
|
Sternay-Wisseppe
|
54
- Meurthe et moselle
|
September
03,1939
|
|
Senon-Spincourt
|
55
- Meuse
|
September
06,1939
|
|
Chambly
|
60
- Oise
|
May
12,1940
|
|
Sissonne
La Malmaison
|
2
- Aisne
|
May
16,1940
|
|
Sézanne
Saint-Rémy
|
51
- Marne
|
May
18,1940
|
|
Romilly-sur-Seine
|
10
- Aube
|
May
19,1940
|
|
Etrépagny
|
27
- Eure
|
May
23,1940
|
|
Bacqueville-En-Caux
|
76
- Seine-Maritime
|
May
27,1940
|
|
Caen-Carpiquet
|
14
- Calvados
|
June
071940
|
|
Sainte-Croix-Sur-Mer
|
14
- Calvados
|
June
13,1940
|
|
Fontenay-le-Comte
|
85
- Vendée
|
June
15,1940
|
|
Cazaux
|
33
- Gironde
|
June 17,1940
|
|
Perpignan-La-Salanque
|
66
- Pyrénées Orientales
|
June 20,1940
|
|
Alger
Maison-blanche
|
Algérie
|
June 21,1940
|
|
|
Click
on the map to enlarge :
|
|
Itinerary
of the GAO III/551
|
|
|
|
Aircrafts
The GAO III/551 was equipped
since its creation, following aircrafts :
The used aircrafts
are described in the accessible file by the link below. You will find
N ° of series, Registration, date of affectation to the group, and
fate of the plane there.
In
this list are identified :
- 1 Mureaux 113
- 1 Mureaux 117
- 4 Potez 63-11
Casualties
|
Crewmen
killed
|
8
|
| Captain
Jean ROSSIGNOL (Combat) |
September
11, 1939
|
| Lieutenant
Jean SUEUR (combat) |
September
11, 1939
|
| Sub-Lieutenant
JOST (Combat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
| Staff-Sergeant
NEUVILLE (Combat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
| Sergeant
QUILICO (Combat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
| Lieutenant
DE-GINESTET (Combat) |
Juny
13, 1940
|
| Chief
Warrant Officer BERLAND (Combat) |
Juny
13, 1940
|
| Staff-Sergeant
GIRARD (Combat) |
Juny
13, 1940
|
|
Crewmen
injured
|
4
|
| Lieutenant
LIEB (Combat) |
May 15,
1940
|
| Lieutenant
DEBLADIS (Combat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
| Captain
BOURSAUS (Combat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
| Sergeant
LHOSTE (Cmbat) |
Juny
5, 1940
|
- Book : "Ils étaient
là" by Mr Jacqueline and Paul MARTIN - Editions Aéro-Editions
|
